443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRQ5nZ9pP1Y
“What did he say to you?”
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsPuiDONEl1
“Nothin much really.” Mort answered the masked man before him, not sure whether to trust him or not. “He was asking if there’d been any children around. I’d say he’s lookin for a kid.”
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxxp6kodSbx
The Musketeer turned to him, “A child?”
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuhWiB3cZYR
“Not much else he said. Just ordered a drink and sat there.” the bartender continued.
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9T2AnWaZ3d
The Musketeer was silent for a few moments.
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj284LxWsRZ
“And in all honesty, he’s a ghost sure, but he seemed a decent man.”
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6GNX1NPasx
The masked soldier turned back to him, stating, “Do not speak a word of this, to anybody. I have work to do.
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ38QT4ntue6
____________________________________________________________
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcqARIwmqF0
“Your tastes in wine never seem to waver, your highness. Even now, you surprise me.” Aleric mused, as he sipped the glass of wine.
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAfAujbsy8L
“I should hope to.” The king stated, nonchalantly, “With your extensive experiences in mind.”
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrtv5xf5FWp
Noticing his tone, the Earl asked, “Something troubles you, my liege?”
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzxTKKVngIB
The king sighed, the warm glow of the fireplace between the two illuminating his plagued face. Not plagued in the flesh or the blood, but a plague of the mind. The pressures of his status take their toll upon him, and now, more than ever.
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡziZFoeGocn
“This plague draws nearer by the day. And we sit, and enjoy wine. Just as we always have.”
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbSpAkm4Lvi
“A rather grim take on things, if I must say.” Aleric replied, “When times of strife draw near, I make it my policy to enjoy what life remains for me. As it may end in a matter of months, when such times as this do scourge us. A final pleasure, before they become so horribly scarce.”
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqVk5JbAgvo
“And how many of such times have you witnessed?” The King asked.
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ09vmIRxEl2
Aleric looked to him, “More than I should like.”
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmpFmULSbL8
“I believe my friend, we are on the cusp of such days. Days of umbral sorrow. Days we may not see the end of.” The younger man stated, as he took another sip from his wine.
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwpQYiF4sxX
“On that, we agree.”
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRbt19ySzMO
Both were silent for a few moments.
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGRd1i03Pks
“You mentioned at court yesterday the ‘Scholars of Mortem’. Tell me of them.” The King mused.
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmd5AyoFaSP
Aleric sighed, “Did your father, or mother, or anybody really, ever tell you of the Lich?”
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbRu3nO3Qxu
“The Lich? A story they tell to keep children awake in the small hours.”
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL594g4G61a
“‘Stay out of trouble, or the Lich will make you one of her bone soldiers’.” Aleric stated jokingly, as the two shared a quick laugh.
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFfit0cEGoA
“But what would a child’s tale have to do with this matter?” The ruler asked, quizzically.
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWdBl8ABnWz
“What if I were to tell you, it was not all lies?”
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0E4sd8RzhV
The younger man looked towards his elder, in slight confusion.
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn1DAPHhayH
“When I was a boy, there were rumours, tales of a dark queen in the east. Every so often, in the small hours, we’d see dark figures lurking about the night, digging up corpses, and dragging them away. Dragging them east.” Aleric reminisced grimly.
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡysHm1NiQ9m
“Go on…”
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvKjOg6Fq80
“One day, an army marched through my homeland. They called themselves ‘Crusaders’, seeking to spread the ways of Isrein. They marched east, and were not heard from for several days. On the dawn of the third day, we saw bodies flowing west down the river. Hundreds of them, clad in crusaders armour.”
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfv6QiR9o9L
There was a long silence.
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeI2aMJDz7s
“The sightings ended after that.”
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkbswLXerEt
“And these, Scholars of Mortem?”
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHbKkVYilKb
“Ah, yes. In my early adulthood, I made a pilgrimage to the east, on the same road the crusaders marched. Until at last I came upon it: a massive temple of red sandstone, carved into the river bank, and riddled with armoured bones. I found records inside. Tomes. Written by the Lich Queen herself. She was taking notes, observing the progression… …of her four apprentices.”
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeVl2LSMxjk
“Then these four are the scholars.” the intrigued king responded, making the connection.
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzJv03CIxjL
“I believe that whomsoever leads these Rott-kin, may very well be one of these apprentices.” Aleric stated, explaining his theory.
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡok9tIKvK4P
“If what you say is true,” the King began, “Then we truly are in strife.”
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgjniSCtPR2
The two raised their glasses, and finished off their wine.
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCd2Q9rFPO6
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDtQyy0OADf
____________________________________________________________
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTMITsHn9zq
“Tell me why.” Letifer uttered from his cracked lips,
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeaY86RZVKX
“What?” Halyenne asked, looking up from the tome in her hands.
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1GFUmayXk3
“Why you brought me here. Why he had you bring me here.” Letifer Explained.
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtHYDExlUBz
Hallyenne closed her readings.
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9fmJXJlW8L
“You are hunted by our foes. So too, are you hunted by us. We merely have different intentions.” She answered.
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFKT4BXuxoq
“So I’m a prisoner?” Letifer asked, not changing his tone.
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYySYJvQYll
“A guest, we’d prefer not to leave.”
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1wbIDh7UAa
Wordlessly, Letifer stood from the crate upon which he reposed, and walked aimlessly towards the shelves of wine. There in the glass of the bottles, he could see a distorted reflection of himself. It was the first time he’d seen it, since he fell. And it shook him to the core.
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSYrPXmCZvE
He appeared barely human, pale skin stretched over a skull. In his cheek was a large ovalesque wound, like a scalpel through a bat’s wing, and upon his nose was no flesh, only the bare bone. And his eyes, they shook him. For he had none of the conventional sort. It was as though there were a shadowy veil over his eye sockets, concealing their true emptiness.
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5HkC9vQfn0
He simply stood there. For nearly an hour he stared into his own reflection. And with new, grim resolve, he moved determinedly towards his blade, which sat upon a keg.
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡutIdPMrdAi
“I can’t stay here.” He stated, as he slid the blade into his belt.
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuoW1p7jcdy
“My lord?” Halyenne asked, as she stood to stride towards him.
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ87r5976WMI
“I must find my son. I’ve already waited too long.” Letifer continued.
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdwkoCnUsde
As he began to start towards the door, the Earl’s voice rang in his ears, “I’m afraid that will not be the case.”
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5LBCdA7gFP
He turned to Hallyenne, and passed her a rolled note, muttering to her, “Your new assignment.” At this, she quickly made her way out of the cellar.
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi6rkL3EVu4
The ageing man strode to the table that had been placed central of the cellar, and pinned to it with an ornate knife, a sheet of paper. Letifer made his way to the table, and saw that it was a poster. Upon it was none other than the sketched remains of his face, captioned, “The Phantom of Belfennse.” it listed a reward of thirty gold pieces.
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ecQuuBXuU
“Every man, woman, and child west of Belfennse would have your head. I don’t suggest poking it out.” The Earl explained.
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcVnd7zYg9k
Letifer stopped his movements, as he unsheathed his blade, and lay it upon the keg. Sitting down, he asked, “Why did you bring me here, my lord?”
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOMDy8zAGhK
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIEk5s7MMBZ
443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4fjZUqvCrx
